Wolf Song
by RedHotKilla
Summary: Wind in His Hair love story, with my OC Arise, John Dunbar's adopted Comanche daughter.
1. Chapter 1

I sat silently in the Commanders tent, trying to block out the sound of the soldiers moaning in pain around me, trying to ignore the metallic smell of blood and the taste invading my mouth through the scent as I tried to concentrate on the paper the Commander had given me to practice my writing on.

Only when I heard the volley of gunshots did I drop my pen and rush from the tent to see my father, James Dunbar, rushing toward the Rebels on a dun stallion only to turn at the last moment and run along the fence before moving back toward our own troops.

"Father!" I yelled, rushing over to my black horse and leaping onto her back rushing toward the soldiers only for the Commander to suddenly appear beside me and grab my mounts reins, forcing her to stop long enough for the Commander to grab me as I made to leap off her back.

I could only watch as my father once again rushed the horse alongside the Rebel fence as they shot at him, only for our Confederate soldiers to rush forward, quickly shooting and saving my father as he jumped his stolen mount over a fence and disappeared from our sight. Only when the gunshots retreated with our soldiers who were chasing the Rebels away did we ride toward the fence where my father had jumped only to see him laying on the ground about ten yards away, his leg caught in his stirrup.

"Daddy!" I yelled quickly rushing toward him, leaping off my mount and stopping beside him as the Commander rode over, quickly dismounting and kneeling next to us.

"Please sir. Don't take my leg." I heard my father grunt in pain.

"Son, you'll keep that leg if I have anything to say about it. Bring my surgeon." the Commander yelled to one of the other soldiers that rode behind us.

"But sir-" "I said bring my dang surgeon!" the Commander yelled again, causing the man to nod and turn his horse back for the camp.

The next two months of recovery were filled with muffled curses, sharpening swords, cleaning guns past the point of shinning until finally my father got the 'okay' from the doctor to be able to walk and ride again. As soon as he was told this my father wasted no time in requesting for us to be sent to fort Jamestown in the prairie. At first I was excited, until we met our guide. I sighed as I waked into the administration building with my father, the soldiers at the door saluting us as we passed.

"Wait here, Arise." father ordered gently as we headed toward two open doors, the large man sitting at the desk behind them eying me hungrily.

"Yes, Sir." I replied stopping outside the door, moving so I wasn't in the man's line of sight and sat down on a bench, waiting. As I waited for my father a large dog trotted over to me, his keen gray eyes watching me curiously as he sat in front of me.

"Hey buddy." I greeted softly, reaching out and rubbing the dog behind the ears. The dog gave a rumbling sound and closed his eyes, leaning into my hand as I continued to scratch him, seeming to love the attention. I smiled softly at the dog and stood up when my father exited the room, looking a bit perplexed as he motioned for me to follow him.

We quickly tied our horses to a man named Mr. Timmons' cart, my father informing me that he was heading to the fort as we climbed onto the wagon seat. The next few days of travel were spent riding and trying to ignore the smell of our traveling companion. I think that if we didn't have the loud and vulgar man with us we probably would have enjoyed the country more than we did. I yawned as I woke up, my back resting against my saddle as my mare, Nightmare, snuffled my shirt, looking for treats. I gently pushed her away and sat up, stretching before looking over to see my father already awake and trying to wake up Timmons. I rolled my eyes as he nudged him with a boot.

"Dad, I think it'll take a good jab to wake that guy up." I grumbled as I handed him a long stick.

"Good thinking." father replied before jabbing the man in the buttocks, waking him up real quick.

"Something just jabbed me in the butt was that you?!" the man yelled accusingly before muttering as he got to his feet.

I tiredly saddled Nightmare, giving her a cookie as she turned her head to watch me silently, blinking her bright blue eyes. I patted her on the cheek gently when I finished, chewing on a piece of jerky as I waited for dad and Timmons to get ready. As we rode the last two miles to the fort I spotted some old bones laying half-hidden in the grass and trotted Nightmare over to them.

"Hey dad, you might want to look at this." I called over my shoulder as I dismounted, examining the bones as he loped over, Timmons stopping the wagon to wait on us.

"Looks like Pawnee." I told him as I pulled an arrow from the skull, examining it quietly.

"Must have been a skirmish between tribes or something." pa replied.

"If you two want to make it to the fort lets get moving!" Timmons called.

"You never said anything about Indians out here, Timmons!" I called back.

"Indians? There ain't no Indians out here! I got more bumps on my-" "I don't want to hear it!" I yelled, clapping my hands on my ears to block Timmons out, glaring at the now laughing man before I swung back up onto Nightmare, the arrow still in my hands as I waited for dad to mount up before we were off again.

We reached the fort an hour or so later and were shocked to find that there wasn't a soul to be found. The only thing that moved in the fort was the tattered American flag, still flying high on the pole.

"Arise, you wait here until we're sure its safe. Timmons. Get down there." dad ordered motioning to the man with a hand.

"What? Ain't nobody there! We should just-" "Go down there!" dad ordered again, causing the man to glare before driving his mules down the hill.

I sighed as I watched the two, pulling my knee across my saddle horn, grumbling to myself about having to wait. After a few minutes I saw my dad finally wave for me to come down. I quickly did so and left the two men to unload the wagon, deciding to look through the small buildings instead.

After staking my claim on one of the small quarters I tethered Nightmare outside and quietly took off her saddle, bridle, and bags before hearing the wagon pulling away. I quietly looked over my shoulder to see Timmons driving up the hill.

"Good riddance." I muttered as dad walked over to me. "I couldn't agree more." he replied with a smile before patting me on the shoulder.

"Get some rest. I know you haven't been getting much sleep the past few nights." he told me gently. I nodded and quietly walked into the quarters, moving things around until I had enough space to tether Nightmare inside the building with me. After settling her down and giving her some hay I grabbed a small wooden bucket and headed out to the pond nearby only to see my dad fly backwards away from the water.

"Dad! What's wrong?" I asked as I quickly ran over only to let out a squeak of fear, going pale when I saw the dead deer laying in the water. Feeling my stomach start to churn I quickly turned away from the scene, gagging.

"Here, go back inside until I get this taken care of okay? I'll call you when its done." he told me gently. I nodded and walked briskly back up the hill and to my quarters, taking a few deep breaths to calm my stomach before sitting down on the cot and pulling out my small sketch book, silently beginning to draw.

The next few days passed by slowly, filled only with the sounds of myself and my father repairing the damage that the elements had caused the other three buildings, talking to Nightmare in the evenings, and trying to get closer to a wolf that seemed to like hanging around the fort.

We decided that if he keeps coming around that we would call him Two-socks because of his two white front legs. I've left food out for him every night and every morning behind my quarters, hoping to put a little weight on the scraggly looking thing. Everything turned into a routine until one day that routine was disturbed in the strangest, and by far, most amusing way. I sighed as I finished up the latest sketch I had been working on of Two-socks, the wolf sitting only a few feet away, watching me silently as he chewed on a bone I had tossed him.


	2. Chapter 2

It was only when I heard my father yelling did I move around the side of the small building only to see an Indian in the corral, tripping over himself as my father advanced on him, naked as the day he was born and probably scaring the poor man half to death. I couldn't help but break down laughing at the Indian's face as he fell through the corral fence and jumped onto his horse, bolting away. I continued to laugh as tears gathered in my eyes, slowly calming down.

"I think you scarred that poor man for life daddy!" I told him later that evening with a smirk as I chewed on a piece of bread.

"Shut up. I didn't realize that I was still naked. Besides its that Indian's fault for trying to steal my horse in the middle of my bath." he replied, grumbling the last part to himself as he glared at the fire, causing me to giggle softly.

"That, my good sir, is why I keep Nightmare in my quarters with me every night and close the door." I told him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah well, Cisco is to big for me to keep in my tiny quarters because you took the big one." father replied grouchily.

"I only took it because I'm a lady and ladies need more space." I replied, sticking my tongue out before spying Two-socks watching the biscuit in my hand hungrily.

I went to take another bite but when the wolf licked his lips hopefully I sat it on the ground and watched as he walked over and picked it up, chewing it before looking at me for more, huffing and laying beside me when he didn't find anymore.

"I swear you've done something to that wolf to get him to trust you so fast." dad grumbled, eying the wolf as I reached down and rubbed his head, popping that last bit of bacon into my mouth.

After sitting by the fire for an hour after the sun went down Two-socks followed me into my quarters, staking his claim on the hay for the night, but when I tried to sleep it just wouldn't come to me. After trying to sleep for an hour I heard a sound that wasn't common in our vacant fort. As I tossed in my small bed, watching Nightmare as she slept peacefully I glared at her.

"Lucky girl." I grumbled as I sat up before hearing the pounding of hooves and yelling around my quarters. "Shit!" I yelped as I fell off my bed before rushing to the door with my pistol, seeing dad fall to the ground after slamming into his door frame before I spotted three young Indian boys riding away from the fort with Cisco.

I growled softly under my breath as I quickly led Nightmare out of the quarters, leaving Two-socks inside as I chased after the three boys, holding on tight since I had only put the saddle on, not my bridle. When I crested a hill I saw Cisco fly past me back to the fort before spying one of the boys on the ground, cradling his arm.

"Huh, karma strikes again." I mumbled as I walked Nightmare down the hill to the boys, slipping off beside the boy on the ground. I slowly moved closer, motioning to his arm before stretching my own out.

"Can you move it?" I asked the boy, motioning from his arm to my own as I moved it. The child looked at me fearfully for a moment, glancing up at the older boy as he watched me before nodding. The child quietly looked back to me before looking at his arm and trying to copy me before yelping and shaking his head.

"Hmm. May I?" I asked, motioning to his arm as I held out my hand. The boy looked back at his friend before slowly letting me touch his wrist and arm, feeling gingerly for the break that must be there. "Ah, yep, fractured." I mumbled once I felt the small separation on the kid's forearm.

After finding the fracture I stood, opening my saddlebags and taking out some leather strips and looking around for some wood, spying the boy's broken bow laying a few feet away. I quietly fetched the broken bow before settling in front of the kid. I motioned to his arm before slowly stretching my own out before I held out a piece of smooth wood from my bag to him, motioning for him to bite on it.

The boy looked from my to his friends, saying something as the older boy knelt down beside him, looking at the things I had laid out before responding. The boy looked between us for a moment before slowly taking the piece of wood from my hand and placing it in his mouth as the older boy took his arm and slowly stretched it out, the small boy yelping and biting hard on the piece of wood until his arm was straight.

I nodded to the older boy before quickly placing the pieces of wood on the sides of the boy's arm, motioning for the older boy to hold them there as I quickly began to rap the leather strips around the wood, tightening them gradually like the Army doctors had taught me until I couldn't tighten them anymore without hurting the kid. When I finished I nodded and leaned back, examining the splint before standing.

"You better get him home soon. That splint is only a temporary one. It needs good care." I told the older boy slowly as he helped his friend up. He blinked at me for a moment before nodding leading the boy to his horse and helping him up onto the pony. I watched the hurt boy for a moment as he settled on the pony, gripping his reins with his good arm and cradling his other to his chest as the older boy stared at me for a moment before taking a feather on a leather strip adorned with beads from his hair and holding it out to me. I cocked my head in confusion and the boy motioned for me to take it, pointing at his friends arm and back to the beaded father strip.

"Oh, you're giving me this in return for helping him?" I asked softly, taking the gift gently. The boy simply nodded stiffly before quickly mounting his horse and leading his friends into the night. I smiled softly after them and shook my head before mounting Nightmare and loping back to the fort yawning as I settled Nightmare in our quarters before laying down and passing out, the small gift still in my hands. That night I dreamed of the young boy that had given me the small gift. I would never admit it but I had been a bit captivated by him.

Over the next few days I would ride to the top of the hill and look around, watching in case the Indians came back. I also braided the feather and beaded strip into my hair. At first my father questioned it but soon let it go as the days passed.

A week went by with no sign from the Indians, allowing us to fall back into a rhythm with only one incident when I fell off of Nightmare after she spooked at a sun bleached skull laying in the grass, causing me to hurt my leg a bit, until two weeks later. I sighed softly as I sat out in the grass on the hill behind my quarters, my shirt tied right under my breasts and my pants cut 6 inches above my knee, allowing my legs and stomach to get some sun.

Nightmare grazed silently a few feet from me as I chewed on a piece of dry grass before I heard Cisco starting to run in his coral, growing more and more upset by the minute.

"Dad! Calm that dang horse down!" I yelled, not opening my eyes as I continued to soak in the day.

"Arise! Arise get back to the fort!" I heard my old man yelling causing me to growl under my breath and sit up with a glare only to yelp when two hands scooped me up and I was pulled onto a horse.

I heard Nightmare start squealing in anger as she ran after me. I froze in fear as I looked up to see an older Indian holding me on the horse in front of him, his dark eyes staring behind him as he urged his horse faster. I heard loud barking and saw Two-socks, jumping at the horses head, only to be knocked away as we continued to run.

I whimpered softly as the Indian glanced down at me. He called something to some other Indians that appeared around us before I felt a small pressure at the back of my neck and blackness engulfed my vision, Two-socks' barking fading with my vision.

When I finally came to I groaned softly and heard a couple gasps and shuffling as I slowly opened my eyes, blinking in confusion as I looked up at a cloth roof with a hole in the middle. I groaned again as I slowly sat up, my head pounding as I placed a hand to it.

When I finally opened my eyes again and looked around I noticed I was in a circular room, the ground covered in furs except for the middle which held a small fire pit. I also noticed that my leg was freshly bandaged and felt really cool underneath.

"H-hello?" I called softly, hearing movement outside before the flap door of the room opened, the light outside almost blinding me as an older Indian man adorned with feathers and beads entered.


	3. Chapter 3

I whimpered softly and moved backwards as he stepped towards me, causing him to stop and hold up his hands, slowly sitting down where he stood. The two of us silently examined each other before the man motioning to himself and said something. I cocked my head as the man struggled to say something.

"K-kic..." the man gave me a look as he tried to say the word. "Kick?" I offered softly. The man nodded with a smile before standing and making a kicking motion, moving his hands as if asking for more.

"Kick, kicking?" I offered, causing the man to nod again before motioning above us. I glanced up to see many mounted birds adorning the top of the lodge.

"Mount? Animal?" I offered, trying to guess at what he was implying, my head still not cleared fully.

The man shook his head before whistling a tune I knew well, motioning to one of the birds above us. "Bird? Kicking Bird?" I asked, confused as to why he told me this. The man nodded and motioned to himself.

"You're Kicking Bird?" I asked again. The man nodded before motioning to me.

"My name? Oh, my name is Arise." I told him softly, sounding my name out.

"Ari..." the man tried, struggling with my name.

"A-ri-se." I sounded out encouragingly.

"Ari-Arise." the man tried again.

"Yes. My name is Arise." I told them man gently.

He nodded and smiled back. "Where am I?" I asked, motioning around before pointing to myself.

The man studied me for a moment and I repeated my question before nodding. He motioning around as well before placing a hand over his heart and placing his other on the ground.

"Your home?" I asked, the man nodding. I spent the next hour trying to communicate with the man before I heard a loud commotion outside and the man motioned for me to follow him. I slowly did so and when we exited the tent I saw my father approaching the Indian camp carrying a woman.

The man next to me motioned to the side and I turned to see Nightmare standing there quietly. The man motioned to the mare again before motioning to myself and to my father.

"I can go?" I asked. The man nodded and helped me onto Nightmare, being gentle so to not hurt my leg more before leading her forward. I swayed slightly, my body not wanting to cooperate very well as I sat on Nightmare's back, trying to keep from falling as the man stopped at the front of the group facing my father as one of the Indians pulled the hurt woman away from him, sitting her on the ground in front of some of the other women.

I stiffened slightly when I saw it was the Brave that had grabbed me at the fort when his eyes met my own. The man holding Nightmare's bridle said something to the man causing him to glare before taking the reins from him and leading Nightmare to my father, keeping one eye on me and making sure I didn't fall off.

"Arise, are you okay?" father asked as the man shoved the reins into his hand and moved away with a sour look on his face. I shook my head in response and leaned against Nightmare's neck as my head spun before I felt my father gently tug me onto Cisco in front of him before feeling the large horse turn.

As my eyes started to droop again I caught a glimpse of three familiar shapes heading for the village. My bright blue eyes met a pair of confused and worried brown eyes before darkness claimed me again. The next few days my father watched me like a hawk, a bit afraid I think that the Indians would come back and steal me again. I really don't think they meant any harm to me, they were just showing him how easy it would be for someone to take me away.

All I know is that I had a terrible headache for the next few days, but I didn't fall back into a deep sleep like I did when I was taken by the Indians or when I was given back to my father. Everything was a bit tense and it didn't help any when a few days later a group of the same Indians appeared on the crest of the hill in front of the fort.

I sat quietly in the cool shade against the side of my quarters, Two-socks laying across my lap as I read a page from my book to him, gently rubbing his ears before hearing a soft blustering of horses and the clinking of metal or beads. I glanced up to see the older Indian man and the Brave that had given me back to my father approaching, a group of Indians behind them on the hill.

"Hey dad. Dad!" I called, yelling when I didn't hear an answer. I heard a loud thud and some muffled curses before seeing my father stumble from his quarters, holding his forehead.

"What?" he called. "We have company." I called back moving around the small building to stand beside him as the two Indians rode up, my leg protesting a small bit at the quick movements, still not fully healed.

"I see." father replied, gently nudging me under the cover of his quarters. As the two Indians stopped in front of us, the older one I had spoken to offered a small smile to me and raised a hand in greeting. I smiled back to him and responded in the same, raising my hand.

"What is that?" dad asked looking confused as the two Indians looked at him.

"Its a greeting. They just want to talk. I remember one of the translators talking about it." I replied.

"Oh." dad replied as he turned back to the Indians an raised his hand in greeting. The two men slowly got off their horses and moved over to sit down after my dad invited them to do so, myself taking a seat on one of the empty wooden barrels, quietly playing with my hair.

After a few minutes I was red in the face and covering all but my right eye as my dad sat on the ground, doing some type of dance or something. I felt the eyes of the two men on me from time to time and I couldn't find the strength to look them in the eye as my dad continued to try and tell them something. I heard the younger man mutter something and the older one respond before I had enough of the embarrassment and walked into the quarters, trying to calm down my blush.

After getting my blush under control I stepped back outside to see my father still on the ground, but he now had his hands held up to his head, motioning to the ground with them like they were horns. I heard the two Indians mutter something again before the older one had a look of realization cross his face.

"Tatonka." he told the younger Brave, pointing at dad.

"No, no, buffalo. Buffalo." dad corrected making the motion with his head and hands again. The man simply nodded firmly and pointed at dad, mimicking his movements.

"Tatonka!" he insisted again.

"Okay, yes Tatonka. Tatonka." dad replied with a smile, taking his jacket out of his shirt and standing.

I shook my head at him before noticing the younger Indian was watching me with his intense brown eyes. I blushed slightly again and reached up, fingering the feather in my hair nervously as I quietly sat back down on my barrel. My father tried to talk with the two men for a while longer before they looked out at the sky and rose.

I hopped off my barrel as they did so and moved over to their horses, patting them on the neck and nose as the two men thanked my father. I stepped back as the two men mounted their horses, the older man smiling and holding his hand up to me in farewell while the younger fiddled with something before moving his horse closer to me, holding out another braided strip of leather with a pretty stone arrowhead on the end, also adorned with small blue beads.

"T-thank you." I told the Brave softly as I accepted the gift. The man simply nodded in response before turning his horse, seeming to remain stoic as he did so, but I saw the small blush on his face and smiled.

"What is it with you and getting all these little trinkets?" dad asked as I walked back over to him. I shrugged in response and simply turned to watch the Indians leave.

"They'll be back tomorrow. That's what the older one said I think. I guess if they arrive in the morning I'll offer them some coffee and sugar." I heard dad say as I sat down on my barrel and called Nightmare over to me.

As dad started making some supper I braided the mare's mane adding the trinket given to me by the young boy, attaching it by clamping them onto her hair tightly. I quietly ate with dad that night, giving Two-socks his share of the grub in a small pan before heading to my quarters, feeling a bit tired after the emotionally trying day.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning I woke up to Two-socks scratching at the door quietly, wanting to go out. I groaned and slowly pulled myself out of bed before letting the wolf out, quickly dressing and heading outside, not noticing a group of horses tied to my dad's quarters as I braided my new trinket into my hair, letting it tap against my shoulder as I moved around the other side of the quarters, stifling a yawn before freezing as a group of eyes locked on me.

"Arise, there you are. We have guest's for breakfast." dad said cheerfully as he worked the coffee grinder.

"I can see that." I replied as I shook my head and moved past everyone and into the small building, grabbing a cup and scooping some coco powder into it before moving outside and pouring some of the hot water into the cup and stirring it.

I quietly looked around the group as dad mixed one of the warriors a cup of coffee offered him some sugar, causing the stoic man to smile a bit before trying to put some in Kicking Bird's coffee. I smiled and giggled quietly at the childish Brave, looking away quickly when he glanced over at me, a blush crossing my face.

Over the next few days it became a routine everyday for the group of Indians to come to the Fort and spend the day with us. We found communication was hard but we managed well enough. I learned the young Brave that had given me the feather the first day they had come was called Wind in his Hair, and some days when the group would leave he would give me another of these finely woven braids adorned with beads, a feather, or even a pretty stone carved into an animal.

I kept all of them, clamping some in Nightmare's mane and the others I kept on my nightstand, braiding into my own hair during the day. Each day I found myself looking forward to seeing our new friends. Then one day, we were invited back to the village, surprising us greatly.

As father and I mounted our horses and followed the Braves, Wind in Hid Hair rode beside me, the two of us riding up front with Kicking Bird and dad as we neared the village. As we walked the horses into the village I felt a wave of shyness come over me and looked down at my hands, biting my lip only to feel a nudge on my leg from Wind in His Hair.

I quietly glanced at him and he gave me an encouraging smile as we stopped outside of a large teepee. I quickly dismounted and patted Nightmare as she shuffled nervously. After calming the mare enough to tie her to my father's saddle I quietly followed the others inside and sat down beside Wind in His Hair when he motioned for me to do so.

I sat quietly through most of the interaction since it was all mostly aimed at my father. As I sat beside the young Brave I quietly fiddled with the small trinket in my hair, a pretty braid with a small crystal dagger on the end. Only when I smelt smoke did I look up to see the chief who I heard was named Ten Bears handing a pipe over to my father.

I crinkled my nose at the smell and heard Wind in His Hair chuckle at me. When the pipe was passed to me I made a face and quickly passed it off to Wind in His Hair, causing laughter to break from the older Indians in the tent.

When the smoke in the tent got to be to much for me to bear I stood and bowed to the chief before quickly leaving the teepee, holding my breath until the door closed when I went into a coughing fit, hearing the men burst into laughter, startling Nightmare a bit at the sudden noise.

Once I got control of my breathing again I walked over to Nightmare, quietly combing my fingers in her mane and fingering the feathers and trinkets that I had clamped there. I quietly looked around the village as I calmed the mare, taking in all the sights and sounds of the bustling village. As I looked around I spotted three familiar shapes riding through the village, watching me curiously.

As I stared back I remembered that these were the three boys I had met about a month ago when I splinted the youngest ones arm after he fell when they tried to steal Cisco. I raised a hand in greeting to them and the youngest smiled at me brightly, raising his own splinted arm in greeting. I chuckled at the child before turning back to Nightmare as she stamped her foot impatiently at me. I shushed her softly and rubbed her nose when she turned to look at me before pulling myself onto her back.

I quietly rode the mare out of the village and stopped on a small piece of flat ground, dismounting. I placed a hand on Nightmare's shoulder and gave a soft whistle before walking away. When I was almost 25ft from the mare I turned and gave a loud whistle, causing her to run forward before turning and heading toward me as I started running.

As soon as the mare was within arms length I quickly grabbed a handful of her mane and jumped onto her back, settling onto her with ease as I pulled her to a stop, turning to see some of the village watching me. I smiled and held up a hand before settling myself into a straight position and giving Nightmare a cue with my legs. The mare quickly straightened her legs and arched her neck before starting to prance, kicking her front feet so it looked like she was skipping towards our spectators.

I heard the group watching us start murmuring as I let Nightmare take over, letting her skip around in a circle before she stopped and began spinning, throwing up dirt before stopping and shooting forwards, sliding to a stop and spinning again in the opposite direction before skipping back to the onlookers, seeing that even my father and the men from the teepee was watching.

"Show off." dad called with a grin as Nightmare stopped in front of everyone and slowly got onto one knee so I wouldn't fall off as she bowed.

"You know it." I replied with a wink as Nightmare straightened. After my little display of horsemanship I knew I had won some respect from the men that had been watching, seeing as I had laid my reins down on Nightmare's neck before she began spinning and sliding, only using my legs to turn and stay on.

Over the next two weeks we were welcome to come to the tribe at any time, but we mostly stayed at the fort. I sighed softly as I laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling of my quarters, my hand resting by my side on Two-socks' head as I willed for sleep to come to me. When I finally gave up on sleep and threw my legs over the side of my bed angrily and leaned over, my head in my hands I heard a very faint rumbling that slowly got louder and louder.

"What?" I mumbled sleepily as I stood and moved to my door, looking out to see a cloud of smoke over the hilltop.

"What the hell?" I asked myself as I threw open the door and rushed toward the hilltop, my dad soon joining me as I stared at the shadowy figures moving in the cloud of dust.

"Buffalo." I whispered. "Buffalo!" dad replied in excitement before rushing down the hill and running to Cisco as I ran and jumped onto Nightmare, bareback, not bothering with her bridle before we tore out for the village.

"Buffalo! We've seen buffalo!" dad yelled as we neared the village, myself stopping Nightmare when I saw the men doing a dance around the fire, decked out in animal skins and paint.

"Dad! Dad wait!" I called, trying to stop him but to no avail as he rushed into the village only to be pulled from Cisco and onto the ground by the men before they started throwing punches. I groaned and rode slowly over when I heard the warriors all start calling excitedly after Kicking Bird broke them apart. I stopped Nightmare beside my father as he pulled himself from the ground.

"I tried to warn you, oh great one." I told him sarcastically as he gave me a hard look, wiping some blood from his nose.

"Shut up, Arise." dad grumbled back as he wiped at his split lip where one of the Indians had landed a punch.

"You should have yelled 'Tatonka' instead of 'buffalo." I told him with a roll of my eyes.

"Shut up, I wasn't thinking about it." dad grumbled as he pulled himself onto Cisco.

"I know. You let your excitement overrule common sense." I replied with a sigh before a familiar Brave rode over with a large smile.

"Tatonka!" he said happily, adding something I couldn't understand before cocking his head at me curiously.

"What?" I asked. The Brave simply pointed at me and said something, causing me to look down and see that I was just in one of my very large shirts, causing me to let out a yell and tumble off Nightmare's back.


	5. Chapter 5

"Arise! Are you okay?" I heard dad call as I let out a grunt when I hit the ground.

"Yes, yes! I am quite fine! Peachy keen! Just realized there was a draft!" I replied snappily as I glared up at dad who looked down at me and started laughing.

"Ran out without even putting your pants on again kid?" he asked with a snicker.

"Rack off!" I growled back before spying Kicking Bird walking over with a older woman.

The lady smiled at me kindly and held out a hand, helping me to my feet before looking me over and shaking her head, saying something before rapping a large fur blanket around me and gently tugging me along with her.

"I'll be right back, hold Nightmare for me." I called to dad as the woman led me into a teepee. She quietly motioned to my shirt, saying something as she picked up another. I gave her a confused look before she motioning to the new one.

"Oh, you want me to change into that one?" I asked, unbuttoning my shirt and slipping it off as the woman nodded and handed me the soft fur shirt, turning and digging around in a basket for something as I slipped the shirt on. The woman turned after finding something and smiled at me, holding out a pair of pants.

"Thank you." I told her with a smile as I took them and slipped into them, tying the string so they wouldn't fall off before the woman motioned for me to sit down and began to brush my hair with a small bone comb. I sighed in contentment as she brushed my hair, letting my eyes close at the soothing feeling before the woman quickly braided my hair, letting the braided trinket I had in my hair hang loose on my shoulder. I smiled as the woman patted my shoulder gently, handing me a pair of moccasin boot before we both stood and left the teepee, spying my father, Kicking Bird, and Wind in His Hair waiting outside for us, all mounted on their horses.

"Come on Arise. We need to go get our saddles and guns for the hunt." dad told me excitedly. I nodded and quickly tied the boots onto my feet before mounting Nightmare, giving the three men a smile before we all headed toward the fort. As soon as we reached the fort I quickly dismounted Nightmare and saddled her, grabbing my gun, ammo, and my own archery equipment before mounting back up, riding over to wait with Wind in His Hair and Kicking Bird as dad put on his uniform.

I rolled my eyes and tapped my fingers impatiently as we waited, grumbling to myself about how he took longer in the morning than I did as I saw the sky begin to lighten in the east.

"Dad come on! They'll already have caught the buffalo herd if you don't hurry up!" I groaned, leaning over Nightmare's back as the two Braves chuckled at me.

When we finally reached the village I was surprised to see that the woman had already taken down all of the lodges and were already moving away, following a large trail of torn up ground that extended to the horizon. It also shocked me at how many of the people now approached us, giving myself and my father small trinkets. In the span of only a few hours it seemed like we had suddenly become celebrities in the village. I smiled as an elder woman patted my hand as she passed myself and dad, continuing on with the others. I smiled at dad, feeling pride swell inside my chest as we received smiles from all directions.

"Lieutenant." I heard a young voice said happily, looking to my father's other side to see Smiles A Lot, Otter, and Beaver ride past. I smiled after them, waving before Kicking Bird rode over to us.

"Lieutenant." he said with a nod, motioning to the crest of the hill in front of us where some other Braves stood. As the two rode off I sighed and relaxed, leaning back over Nightmare's rump as I popped my back, feeling much better.

I quietly rode for a few minutes before hearing my name being called. I glanced up at the hill and saw my father waving his hat. I quickly urged Nightmare into a lope and rode up to him and the Braves, gasping when I looked at the valley in front of us, the green grass littered with the dead bodies of about 100 buffalo.

I could only stare at the carnage in front of us before following my father and the Braves as they started moving again. As we rode parallel to the dead buffalo I heard a small bleating, like a calf, and looked to see a small buffalo calf wandering close to one of the bodies. I tried to ignore it for a few minutes before growling under my breath and grabbing a rope from my dad's saddle, turning and heading down to the calf.

The small creature bleated at me as I stopped Nightmare and walked closer. I quietly made a loop in the rope and cooed to the calf, the baby looking between myself and the dead buffalo next to it for a moment before teetering over to me, bleating at me. I gave the calf a sad smile, fashioning the rope into a halter before slipping it onto the calf's head. The calf didn't protest and simply bleated at me as I mounted Nightmare and headed back up the hill, the calf following obediently.

"Couldn't stand it could you?" dad asked once I reached the Braves again. I simply ignored him and continued walking. As we moved past the valley, the joyous singing and voices that had come from the people all morning faded away once they saw the carnage in the valley. I couldn't believe that anyone would do this, but when I noticed the wagon tracks heading away from the scene I knew it could be only white hunters.

When we stopped that night and made camp the buffalo calf bleated at me hungrily and I was offered small bags of milk by some of the women from the horses that had lost foals over the past few weeks, some of the small children coming over to watch as I fed the baby after heating the milk up.

After I fed the poor thing I tied the calf to my saddle horn as I put it on the ground, wanting to keep the baby close as I settled down for the night with my father, listening to the tribe as they celebrated into the night for the upcoming hunt, the calf laying down and sleeping next to me peacefully. The calf was silent most of the night, only bleating in the early hours for more milk which I gave happily, glad the small thing was eating healthily.

When we got on the move the next day I hung back a bit from the Braves, choosing to ride with Kicking Bird's wife, stopping only to feed the calf whom I named Blue. As I trotted to catch back up to the village I noticed the women putting up the lodges and saw some of the men painting their horses with small symbols before Smiles a Lot rode over to me.

He grinned and motioned for me to slip onto his horse. I shrugged and let one of the women take Nightmare and Blue before slipping onto Smiles a Lot's horse before he loped over to a hill and dismounted. I quickly followed his example and quickly dismounted as well before following him as he crawled up the hill, motioning over it. I slowly peeked over and gasped, seeing hundreds of buffalo grazing there.

I stared at them for a few minutes, their forms captivating me as they moved about. I jumped slightly when Smiles a Lot tapped my shoulder and motioned backwards. I pouted but followed him back down the hill, letting him give me a boost onto his mounts back before he hopped on behind me and we headed back to the village.

We got some funny looks from some of the women and Braves as we stopped beside my father and the others before dismounting. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I bounded over to my father, seeing Blue and Nightmare beside him. The calf called out when she spotted me and pulled against my father's hold before I patted her on the head, rubbing the rough fur gently.

"Alright, I better follow the Braves, we're going on the hunt." dad told me with an excited grin. I grinned back quietly.

"Be careful, alright?" I told him as he mounted Cisco.

"Always am, sweetheart." he replied, grinning before heading off after the Braves.

I watched them for a moment before Smiles nudged me and motioned to his mount and Nightmare. I grinned and tethered Blue to a nearby lodge with some of the children, handing them some of my brushes to brush Blue before I jumped onto Nightmare's back, following Smiles A Lot as he headed up the hill, hearing the war cries as the hunt began. I smiled as we watched the hunt before Nightmare let out a squeal and started crow hopping toward the stampeding herd.


	6. Chapter 6

"Easy girl, easy." I told the mare softly, patting her neck as she pulled hard against my hold, wanting to join the hunt.

"Hold, girl!" I ordered, gently popping her. The mare blustered and pawed the ground but didn't try to join the hunt again. I sighed and quietly turned back to Smiles A Lot only to see a large bull heading for him.

"Shit! Smiles!" I yelled waving my arms, trying to get the younger boys attention. Seeing as I couldn't I turned toward the Braves and began yelling, waving my arms as my father stopped and looked at me before spotting the bull. He quickly turned Cisco and began shooting as the bull knocked Smiles off his horse and began charging after him as he ran.

I quickly ran toward him along with my father as the bull finally fell, merely inches from the young boy. As I reached him and my father a few moments later Smiles simply jumped up behind me and took the reigns from me, heading straight toward the camp. As soon as we reached the camp Smiles jumped off Nightmare and ran off. I blinked confused after him before sighing and shaking my head.

The rest of the day was spent by helping the women skin and clean some of the buffalo the Braves had killed and the night was filled with the sound of laughter and joy. I smiled as I sat around the campfire with some of the younger women, taking and laughing through hand signs and easy words as I let one of the women put my long hair into two braids. After a while I spotted my father and said goodbye to the woman, jogging over to him and Wind in His Hair, greeting them both with a smile.

"Having fun?" dad asked, looking at the finely done braids as I smiled and nodded. I gave Wind in His Hair a smile as well in greeting and he grinned back, seeming much more relaxed around us now as he led us toward another group.

"Oh no, no more. I'm full, I can't eat anymore and I can't tell the story again." dad groaned Wind in his Hair said something and tried to pull him toward the people but dad resisted.

"No, no more." dad ordered only for Wind in his Hair to become distracted by the gold buttons on dad's jacket, quietly fiddling with them.

"You like it? You want to try it on? Here." dad asked before taking the jacket off and holding it out to Wind in his Hair.

I smiled as the Brave got a shocked look on his face before he threw away the leg of meat he had been eating and wiped his hands on his pants before taking off the necklace/chest armor he wore, slipping it over dads head before he slipped into the jacket.

"Thank you. This is a good trade. This, good trade." I smiled at dad and the Brave's interaction before Wind in His Hair tried to pull dad toward the others again.

"No, no, I'm tired and full!" dad complained before Wind in His Hair said something, holding up one finger. Dad repeated what he said, holding up one finger before nodding, allowing the Brace to pull him toward the others while I laughed and went to give Blue some dinner.

After finding the calf and settling down away from the celebration I quietly fed her and started a small fire, not hearing Wind in His Hair as he walked up behind me until he sat down. I gave him a smile and he returned it quietly, reaching over and rubbing Blue on the head. We sat in silence for a while before the faint fire glinted off the arrowhead of the band that was still in my hair, attracting the Brave's attention. He pointed to it and said something with a slight smile. I glanced at the arrow head and grinned.

"Yeah, you gave this to me. The day you and Kicking Bird came to the Fort." I told him softly. The Brave cocked his head at me and I nudged his shoulder.

"You know, before you kidnapped me?" I added, making the motions with my hands, causing the Brave to look sheepishly at the ground and mutter something. I giggled quietly and turned my attention to the sky.

"Its so pretty." I whispered, staring at the stars as the Brave glanced at me before looking at the sky.

We lapsed back into a comfortable silence as we laid back on the grass, staring at the sky. I quietly began to sing a small song I remembered my mother singing to me as a babe, only loud enough for myself and Wind in His Hair to hear.

"*Sun goes down and we are here together/ fireflies glow like a thousand charms/ stay with me and you can dream forever right here in my arms/ tonight.*" I sang softly, my voice trailing off as I slowly slipped into sleep, unknowingly turning toward Wind in His Hair and cuddling up against him. I also missed the dark blush that moved across the Brave's face as he slowly rapped an arm around me as well.

When I woke up the next morning I heard someone chuckling before a hand rested on my shoulder, shaking me gently. I yawned softly and opened my eyes, looking up to see Kicking Bird and Stands With A Fist smiling at me.

I gave them a tired smile and sat up, feeling something heavy fall from my shoulder to my waist. I looked down to see that it was an arm before I noticed that I was cuddled up to Wind in His Hair.

I felt a dark blush move across my face as I quickly got up, causing the older woman and the Shaman to laugh, waking the Brave. Wind in His Hair jumped to his feet when he saw Kicking Bird and glanced at me before we both looked away, my blush darkening and one going across his face as well.

I coughed slightly and made my way over to Nightmare, placing her saddle on her back and fiddling with it embarrassed as I heard more laughter from behind me. After the embarrassment of Kicking Bird and Stands with A Fist finding myself and Wind in His Hair canoodling like that it wasn't hard for the older man to tease me throughout the next few days as we traveled back to the Fort, teaching me different words and sayings as we went along as well.

When we reached the Fort and watched the Tribe leave I felt a sense of loneliness overcome me, and I knew that dad felt it too. I sighed as I kicked a rock across the dry ground, watching the hill where the Tribe had disappeared a couple days before.

"Dad, I miss them." I voiced as my father stepped out of the cool quarters behind me.

"I do too. I think its time for a visit." dad replied.

"Really?" I asked excitedly, looking at him.

"Go get the horses and we'll head that way now." dad replied, seeing my excitement as I ran off before he finished.

I don't think I had ever saddled a pair of horses so fast as I did in the next few minutes. When we reached the Tribe, it was obvious that they had missed us as well from the size of the welcoming party that greeted us

We were given our own tents in the Village and we picked up the language much faster than expected, myself only hours after we had rejoined the village and dad a couple days after. I still blushed a bit whenever I saw Wind in His Hair and the women I helped around the Village teased me about it. I smiled as I walked around the village with Stands With A Fist, the two of us talking softly before I noticed some of the Braves riding back into the village with some new horses. Stands with a Fist followed my gaze and saw that I was watching Wind in His Hair again.

"Why don't you go talk to him?" she asked, giving me a small push.

"No, I-I can't. I can't even look at him hardly now without falling into a blushing stuttering mess." I replied as I moved my gaze off of the Brave and to my arms, which were full of sticks for the evenings cooking fire.

"You know he is always talking about you. Your father rants about it during his lessons. He's a bit confused as to why women are so strange." the older woman told me as we continued walking. I looked at her before glancing at the Braves to see Wind in His Hair watching us.

"He does care about you, Songbird." Stands with A Fist told me softly, using my new name. I simply looked at the woman and shook my head before continuing on my way. That night I laughed as I sat with some of the unmarried women, talking about some of the Braves as I braided Little Bird's hair.

"And what about you Songbird? What do you think of the Braves?" one of the women, Swift Deer asked.

"Hmm, oh, I admire them for their bravery. They are all good men." I replied with a shrug.

"No, no, we meant which do you favor? Your birthday is tomorrow and you will be of age. We want to know which you would like to ask for your favor." Dove Wing asked as the women giggled.


	7. Chapter 7

I laughed softly and glanced over at the Braves a few fires over. "I don't know, they are all very handsome and nice..." I replied, trailing off as my eyes landed on Wind in His Hair as the Brave laughed at something one of the others said.

"Ooo, I think I know who she favors!" River-song said as the women laughed loudly, attracting the attention of my father as he walked over.

"Evening ladies, what seems to be so funny?" he asked.

"The Brave that Songbird favors is all." River-song replied. Dad laughed softly and nodded before getting up and moving over to the Braves, sitting beside Wind in His Hair.

The rest of the night I continued to glanced over at the Brave before Blue found her way over to us, bleating at me as she settled down beside me, munching on some grass under her. I smiled and rubbed the buffalo calf on the head, talking with the other women until the fires died down.

After I was able to excuse myself from the other women I headed to my teepee, silently slipping inside and laying some grass in the fire pit, the glowing coals burning brighter at the fuel as I placed more logs on top of the small flame before I took out my small Bible and opened it, picking up where I had last left off.

The next morning when I climbed out of my teepee I was met with smiles and greetings from everyone, the Tribe members each wishing me a happy birthday as I made my way to the herd to take Nightmare out on a ride. After catching the little mare I boosted myself onto her back, not bothering with a bridle or saddle as I turned her to the open prairie and I let her slowly build up from a walk to a run across the long grass as we ran I heard someone coming up behind me and turned to see Smiles A Lot, Otter, and Beaver, racing after me, the three boys laughing as they pulled alongside me when Nightmare dropped back a bit. I laughed and waved in greeting before we all curved our horses back toward the village. I smirked at the boys as they urged their horses faster.

"Let 'er buck, girl." I whispered to Nightmare as I leaned over her neck, getting a good grip on her mane as she shot forward, easily passing the boys who stared in shock as we widened the gap between us. When we reached the edge of the village I let Nightmare slide to a stop, some of the villagers having stopped to watch the race. I gave a mock bow on Nightmare as she snorted and tossed her head. I slowly rode her away from everyone, not liking how she kept tossing her head up and down like she was. As I stopped her beside the herd and dismounted she let out a hard cough, shaking her head again. I patted her gently on the neck as Smiles, Otter, and Beaver rode over.

"What's wrong, Songbird?" Beaver asked as I felt along Nightmare's throat, moving as the mare coughed again.

"Go and get Stone Calf please. Something is wrong with Nightmare." I replied as she coughed again. The three boy's eyes widened and they turned and ran off quickly as I urged Nightmare to lay down, seeing her legs shaking as she coughed again.

"What is wrong, Songbird?" I heard the Elder ask as he walked over to me.

"Something's wrong with her. Nightmare can't stop coughing and she's shaking badly. She's never done this and we've gone on longer runs much faster than that. Stone Calf, what's wrong with her?" I asked fearfully as the man knelt down next to me, listening as Nightmare let out another hard cough.

"It sounds like she's sick. Very sick, go and get my medicines, Otter." the Elder ordered, sending the boy off. The rest of the morning was spent treating Nightmare for her sickness. She soon stopped coughing and seemed to regain some energy after an hour of treatment, getting to her feet.

"She will be okay now, but she cannot be ridden. Maybe by children, but not by yourself or it will kill her." Stone Calf told me softly as I patted the mare gently, rubbing her cheek.

"Ever?" I asked softly. The Elder simply nodded sadly, patting my shoulder.

"She will still live, Songbird, she is not leaving you so soon. Give thanks that you came and got me before the sickness spread to her heart." the Elder told me gently before he walked away.

I simply stayed silent, staring at the ground as I rapped my arms around the mare's neck. Nightmare blustered hoarsely at me and I left her lift a leg, wrapping it around my hip as she pressed her chin to the back of my shoulder. I let out a sad chuckle, tapping the mares leg after a minute so I could step back.

"You're a good girl. Go join the others." I told her gently, patting her on the rump as she walked over to the herd. I slowly walked away, keeping my eyes down as I walked to my teepee and slipped inside, sitting on the soft furs inside and simply watching the smoldering fire pit. After a while I heard the sound of the flap door opening before Kicking Bird slipped inside.

"Hello, Songbird." the man greeted.

"Hello, please, sit." I told them, motioning across the pit. The man at down and Kicking Bird smiled at me.

"Tonight we will have a ceremony for you in honor of your coming of age. We will sing songs to the skies for you and eat and dance. My wife would like to help you get ready. She never had a daughter to dote on and she thinks of you as her own." Kicking Bird told me gently. I smiled.

"I would love for her to help me. I never had a mother to dote on me when I was young." I replied, nodding.

"That is another reason I have come to your teepee. I wish to ask how you came into the care of the Lieutenant. You are not a white child, are you Songbird?" the man asked, causing me to tense.

"No. I am not. I came to the Lieutenant when I was a babe. He had found a village that had been torched by the Pawnee. I was the only one left alive in the village." I replied softly, not looking up to meet the man's eyes.

"What tribe are you from, Songbird?" Kicking Bird asked softly as I finally met his eyes.

"Comanche. My tribe is the Comanche." I replied, seeing the man's eyes widen in shock as I went back to poking the coals.

"Well, you are a member of the Sioux now. You and your father." Kicking Bird told me gently. I gave the man a grateful smile and nodded respectfully to him.

"Thank you." I told him softly as he stood.

"I must return to my wife to give her your answer. She will come to you when it is time."

He told me as he nodded before leaving the lodge. I smiled after him before settling on my bed and picking up my Bible, beginning to read again. As the sky began to darken Turtle Dove, Kicking Bird's wife, entered the lodge with a basket.

"Are you ready to be doted?" the woman asked with a laugh. I smiled and nodded as she walked over and sat the basket down, taking a brush from it and quickly moving behind me, brushing my long hair gently. After brushing it thoroughly she put it into a braid and smiled at me before she took the basket and pulled out a pretty deerskin dress.

"It is tradition that the girl who is to wear this dress is to decorate it herself with small trinkets." Turtle Dove told me gently as she laid the dress out on the furs. I smiled and nodded, taking out a small bag, gently pouring out the small pile of trinkets the people had given me. Turtle Dove smiled as she helped me place the trinkets on the dress, attaching them to the soft skin at the seams before helping me slip it on when we were finished.

"You're ready now." Turtle Dove told me gently as she placed her hands on my shoulder, smiling at me tenderly. I smiled back before following her as she left the lodge, the two of us heading toward a large bonfire outside of the village line. I smiled as I was greeted by many of the tribe, being pulled over to the other women as some of the men began to play drums and they showed me how to dance. I caught on quickly and soon was dancing with the women as if I had been doing so my whole life. When the music wound down Kicking Bird walked over to me with my father, placing a hand on my shoulder before turning to the Tribe.

"Tonight we Celebrate the coming of age of one of our own! Songbird has brought us great joy in the past weeks we have known her and her father and we welcome them into the Tribe with open arms!" the man called as he turned to me and hugged me before allowing me to rejoin the other women as we continued to dance.

The Celebration went long into the night, past the time when the men grew muddled with wine and food and had to be taken to their lodges by their wives. I stayed up a bit longer after everyone else, watching the stars as the fire slowly died, not noticing the pair of eyes that watched me with a tender look as I finally got up and headed to my lodge.

The next morning was like any other, I helped the women cook breakfast, played with some of the children, tripped over Blue a couple times, and even helped make some arrows for the Braves before I headed back to my lodge for a short nap. When I reached my lodge I saw Wind in His Hair sitting on his horse, holding the rope of a small tiger striped dune mare.

"Hello, Wind in His Hair, would you like to come inside?" I asked with a smile as I stopped beside his mount, rubbing his nose before patting the mare beside him.

"No. Here. She's for you." he muttered blushing as he shoved the rope holding the mare into my hands before turning his horse and rushing off.


End file.
